The court said the accused: Kim Muol, Ly Suong, Thach Thuong, Danh Tol and Ly Hoang broke Article 245 of the Penal Code. The five were former students of the Pali continuation school in Soc Trang City, and former monks in Nuoc Man Pagoda in Long Phu District.

According to the indictment from the provincial People’s Procuracy, local traffic police had stopped a motorbike taxi driver who was on the way to ask for alms on February 8. As the driver did not have a driving license or mandatory Government insurance as outlined by the Road Traffic Law, the police temporary seized his motorbike. However, some other student monks later claimed that the police “had not allowed them to continue collecting alms”.

Danh Tol and Ly Hoang had joined the student monks on their way to act as mendicants. Both men then lured over 100 student monks from the Pali school to the city’s police station. They screamed and caused traffic congestion that affected local security.

Kim Muot had enticed some monks from other monasteries, including Ly Suong and Thach Thuong from Nuoc Man Pagoda to partake in the protest, and the crowd only dispersed after persuasion by local religious leaders.

After the incident, the five were forced to leave school and give up the frock by the local patriotic clerics association.

The Procuracy said the accused have already pleaded guilty and some others including Thach Xuan Hien and Tang Thuy are still at large after fleeing from the police.

For gathering others to participate in the protest, Danh Tol and Kim Muot were sentenced to four years in jail.